10 entertaining ways for your garden roomThe she shed and the man cave have become popular in recent years, as many people begin using their garden structures to create their own private space or sanctuary away from crowded family homes.

A step up from a dusty spider filled shed where you would store garden tools you’d hardly ever use. These dens of peace and tranquillity, pods to indulge in your favourite hobby or pastime have a multitude of uses as well as adding value to your property.

Do you have the space for a garden room? Contemplating on getting one, but are not sure what you would use it for? Oeco Garden Rooms has some useful tips and slightly some unusual ideas for that you can use the space for.

Top ten tips:1: Work – Whether you want to be more creative with work or produce more efficient results, then escaping away from distractions of the main house will be a huge head start. If you want to skip the commute or run your own business from home, a garden room offers you the space and peace you require.

This would also be a good idea for your kids school work, bringing them out away from their distractions and into a peaceful office/library based garden room, allowing them to focus, achieve and improve overall results.

2: Airbnb/guestroom – Garden rooms are perfect for adding an extra room to your home for family and friends to stay in whilst they visit. Another idea is you could set up your own Airbnb, perfect for making some extra money on the side or gain your initial investment of the garden room back.

3: Home spa – Want to get that same spa experience at home, use a garden room to create your own. Fit a home sauna or steam room, or both, as well as a rainfall shower and somewhere to relax. You can add your own spa touches with oil burners or incense and you could even extend the spa experience outside with a hot tub.

4: Your own Yoga Ashram – It’s important to focus on health and wellness, and a garden room is the perfect space to create your own Yoga Ashram. Add some ambience with mood lighting, cushions and pillows and of course a yoga mat. You will have your own little space to escape to, to keep calm, clear and collected.

5: Helping hand – It could be a very productive idea to set up the summer house for your son, daughter or a close friend to stay in whilst their on the hunt to save money. Introduce the facilities they need, set up any extra necessities they require and charge them an affordable negotiated rent.This would be a great way for youngsters to save money, whether they’re currently studying or only working part time.

6: Your own local - As UK pub numbers dwindle, why not turn your garden room into your own little bar. If you brew your own beer, make your own wine and enjoy making your own flavoured spirits, expand your hobby into your own bar. Get together with family and friends without having to leave your garden.

7: Vintage game arcade – Long gone are the game arcades of the 80’s and 90’s, but if you’re feeling nostalgic and enjoy retro games, why not use a garden room to make your own vintage video game arcade. Set up old and new consoles, dance and music games and even arcade machines for a blast to the past.

8: Gym – Have your very own gym, add different work out equipment to the garden room, leaving an area for floor work... Add in mirrors down one side, so you can watch your form and build in a music system to keep you motivated. Garden rooms also have enough space to add in a shower and changing room too.

9: Hobby room – If you and your family all share a number of hobbies, why not turn your garden room into a hobby space. Whether sewing or crafting, to beer making or furniture restoration, garden rooms make great areas to enjoy your favourite pastime. Keep the equipment, smells and dust out of your home.

10: Memorabilia room – Ever wanted to collect and horde your own memorabilia collection? With the space from your garden room you’ll be able to finally build up your dream collection. They’re literally anything you can collect and display, being either showing your passion to your favourite TV show or video game.

For an example, if you have a passion for Game of Thrones, fill your garden room up with collectibles. Hang up pictures/posters or any signed autographs, get your hands on the clothing and replica weapons from the show, build shelving for your character figurines, or display maps on the walls like ‘Weteros’.

As you can see, there are multiple ways you can use your garden room, whether you want to use it for work, your creative and passionate hobbies or just as a space away from the main house to relax and unwind anything is possible. So what will you use yours for?

Oeco Garden Rooms is a family run business and have been manufacturing and installing timber framed structures for over 10 years. The company was initially founded to satisfy the growing number of people who work from home and the essential need for more space and a separate working environment away from the main house. However over the years our garden rooms, offices and studios have been purchased by customers from all backgrounds to extend their living space for a multitude of uses.

Greenhouses vs Polytunnels

Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a great way of cutting down on your food costs as well as providing healthy meals for your family. You can extend the productivity of your plants and even grow them out of season by using a greenhouse or a polytunnel. Both greenhouses and polytunnels have their good and bad points and which is the best choice for you will depend on your space and situation.

Pros and Cons of a Greenhouse

Greenhouses are generally quite expensive to buy and the larger the greenhouse, the higher the cost. When installing a greenhouse you may need help from an experienced fitter. You will need to ensure that the ground is level and you will have to have a solid base to support the structure.

Once in place, they are difficult to move so you need to think carefully about the best position. However, if you keep it well maintained it can last for thirty years or longer.

There are three options for greenhouse glazing. Single glass panes are the cheapest but are also prone to breaking and can be dangerous for children and pets. Toughened horticultural glass is designed to crumble into cubes when it breaks, making it a safer but more expensive option. Polycarbonate panels will not break like glass and will diffuse the light, preventing delicate plants from being scorched by the sun. However, during strong winds, they may blow out of the frame.

Strong sunlight can also raise the temperature of your greenhouse too high, wilting the plants and making it difficult to work inside. When choosing a greenhouse from Argos you will have the option of vents and windows to help you control the temperature. You can also use netting to diffuse the sunlight.

To extend the growing season, your greenhouse can be heated. However, this can be costly, especially if your greenhouse is large.

To increase your growing space, smaller plants can be grown on tiered shelving units which will make your plants easier to reach and will look attractive from the outside.

Pros and Cons of a Polytunnel

Compared to a greenhouse, the cost of a polytunnel is lower, particularly if you want a larger size. Unlike a greenhouse, a polytunnel does not need a solid base as it is anchored directly into the soil. It can also be set up on a sloping surface. Polytunnels are relatively easy to set up by yourself although you can have it erected for you.

The polythene is very strong and usually lasts for about five years. Should it need it, repair kits are readily available. The polythene diffuses the sunlight, preventing scorched plants and making it more pleasant to work in during a hot day.

Larger polytunnels give you more space to grow directly into the ground and this makes them ideal for root vegetables and fruit trees.

Most polytunnels have a door at each end which can provide adequate ventilation. However, side vents can be added to larger tunnels to ensure that there is enough air circulation.

When deciding whether to buy a greenhouse or a polytunnel the main things you need to consider are its location and how much space you have, how much money you want to spend and what you plan to grow in it.

Storage in a cool dry place is essential for your seeds, plant pots and tools to keep them in good condition and a shed is the ideal place. For more information on the range that is available click here for a garden shed .

The Garden Shed

The garden shed is not just the place to sneak a quiet moment nor is it the only building that your garden needs. Look here on THE Gardening Website and you will find a huge range of garden buildings.Of course, you will see where to buy a shed, but you will also find elegant arbours, splendid conservatories, charming gazebos as well as a range of garden buildings for garden storage. You may need a Wendy house or a tree house as a play house for the children. All these are on THE Gardening Website and they will make your garden more attractive.Do you need a space to yourself where you can work in peace? Here on THE Gardening Website you will find the manufacturers of 'the room outside' which could also be used as an office or games room.

Whether you need a log cabin or a summerhouse, a studio or a pool room, a workshop or a bird box THE Gardening Website will show you what is available and where to buy it.

So - things to think about:

what will you be using your garden building for?what space do you have for your garden building?does your garden building need a base?will you need a power supply to your garden building and how can this be fitted?will you need professional help to their erect your garden building?will your garden building require regular treatment?do you need planning permission and if so, you will need to speak to your local planning authority for further information?

Sheds

With
the modern propensity to spend more time in our gardens, keeping our
outside space looking clean and tidy becomes a priority.Shedsare
the answer to storage problems in your front or back garden. A wooden,
metal or plastic shed is a useful and attractive place to keep all your
gardening equipment, toys, bikes and wheelie bins out of sight. You can
entertain or relax in your now tidy garden with a quiet drink without
worrying about clutter because it is all in your shed.

Before you order your shed you should find out whether you need planning permissionto
erect one in your front or back garden. The law regarding sheds varies
from one area to another and the best thing to do is to contact your
local planning department to see whether your plans will need agreement
from your local council. Once you have a better understanding of what
you can and cannot do in your front or back garden, you can start
looking at the range of sheds on offer.

Wood, Metal or Plastic ShedsWhen you mentiongarden sheds , many
people of a certain age will picture a lean to at the bottom of the
garden where dad kept his tools and spent his Saturday afternoons.
Nowadays sheds can make an attractive addition to any garden, whether
you decide on a wood, metal or plastic shed. When you start shopping
around for sheds you should keep in mind the building’s purpose. Do you
want somewhere to store your bikes, your wheelie bin, or an all purpose
storage and work shed?

If you like pottering and have all the latest garden gadgets then one of thewooden shedsavailable
with built in windows and shelving would be an ideal choice. Wooden
sheds come in different shapes and sizes and very often have a ten year
anti-rot guarantee. If you have a family who enjoy cycling, metal sheds
will keep them safe and dry and out of sight.

Building a Shed

If you are thinking aboutbuilding a shedthen
you need to ensure that you purchase sustainable timber. Look for
companies and timber yards that are FSC approved is the best way of
ascertaining that you are buying timber from a sustainable and reliable
source. If you have timber left from a dismantled construction then it
is worth recycling some of that material when it comes to building your
shed.

Take
care when choosing paint and varnish when you are building a shed as
some contain high levels of VOC, ingredients that can pollute the air.
Always check the labels on paints and varnishes and try to avoid
choosing products that have hazard warnings attached. You should always
go for products with the lowest amount of VOC ingredients.

Planning Permission for Sheds

As a general rule you don’t needplanning permission for sheds, but
check the regulations in your area. If you are erecting a single storey
garden shed for storage and general pottering around it should be less
than 30 square metres floor space and less than three metres high if it
has a flat roof. If you have a pitched roof then the pinnacle needs to
be less than four metres high.

If
you check out the planning permission guidelines on sheds you will see
that a shed should not take up more than half the space of the garden
and any erections needs to be at least a metre away from boundaries such
as the garden fence. There are further restrictions on sheds if you
live in an area of significant natural beauty, a conservation area, or a
national park.

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